(This is a weird subject)I was watching a home video of Nicholas II's family, and in it there was a tree rustling in the wind in the corner. And I thought that was really weird! The tree was standing right there where the real people were, at an actual moment, and it might be there still. Seeing the tree and knowing what it really looked like, rustling, despite the less-than-perfect quality of the video, made me realize that if they'd had modern-day-quality flim equipment, we'd see how they really looked while living.I guess if you watch the home videos, you're getting as close to them as you possibly can, since it's footage of real moments that happened, but there's still a level of separation from the absence of color and sound. And even if I know aspects of their personalities and things they did, I can never know what they were really like on an ordinary basis because I wasn't there. It feels strange to watch the videos becuase you're both close and far to the real people.Have you ever had a thought like this? It kind of remeinds me of the music from "Russian Ark", because it's peaceful and sort of happy, but sad at the same time. It makes their deaths even more tragic to think of them like this.Just some thoughts

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There is a clock that never strikes...There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up...There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse...There is a troupe of little actors in costume...And when you are hungry or thirsty, there is someone who drives you away.

Did you know that trees that Nicholas and Alexandra had planted on the grounds of the Alexander Palace on the births of each of the girls are still there?

Wow, really?? That's so neat! Do you have a picture of the trees? I just looked it up but couldn't find anything.

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There is a clock that never strikes...There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up...There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse...There is a troupe of little actors in costume...And when you are hungry or thirsty, there is someone who drives you away.

I know what you mean about the home videos... they always make me both sad and happy when I watch them. Sad because, of course, I know their tragic end, but happy because I love to watch them interact as a family.

I know what you mean about the home videos... they always make me both sad and happy when I watch them. Sad because, of course, I know their tragic end, but happy because I love to watch them interact as a family.

Exactly! It's kind of strange to watch the videos while knowing a lot about them.

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There is a clock that never strikes...There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up...There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse...There is a troupe of little actors in costume...And when you are hungry or thirsty, there is someone who drives you away.

Did you know that trees that Nicholas and Alexandra had planted on the grounds of the Alexander Palace on the births of each of the girls are still there?

How coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool Holly!! I did'nt know that!!It's a weird subject, Abbigail but it's cool! I like to see the videos because I like to see them moving (not only just in photos xD)e-e.

Did you know that trees that Nicholas and Alexandra had planted on the grounds of the Alexander Palace on the births of each of the girls are still there?

How coooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool Holly!! I did'nt know that!!It's a weird subject, Abbigail but it's cool! I like to see the videos because I like to see them moving (not only just in photos xD)e-e.

I reeeeally want a picture of those trees!The cool thing is than my grandfather did the same thing for me and my sister with trees, only they were planted when we were 3 or 4. So that's partially whyI want to see themSeeing them moving and living is a reason I like the videos too

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There is a clock that never strikes...There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up...There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse...There is a troupe of little actors in costume...And when you are hungry or thirsty, there is someone who drives you away.

I don't know if these are the same trees you're talking about. I think they are, but, these ones aree in the garden/park area of the Feodorovsky Imperial Cathedral, which is a stone throw from the AP. They were planted in 1909. There are four of them (one for each GD) and there is a plaque there that says NII and Alix planted them with their own hands:

Here are the shots I got of the trees when I was there:

The above plaque says: (roughly - I haven't been in Russian classes since May) In 1909 their Imperial Majesties Sovereign Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich II and Sovereign Empress Alexander Fedorovna, desired to plant these oaks with their own hands

There is a clock that never strikes...There is a cathedral that goes down and a lake that goes up...There is a little carriage abandoned in the copse...There is a troupe of little actors in costume...And when you are hungry or thirsty, there is someone who drives you away.